An international chain of convenience stores, there are more than 39,000 7-Eleven franchises throughout the world, surpassing the previous record held by McDonalds. 7-Eleven began back in 1927 when Joe Thompson started selling milk, eggs and bread from a company ice dock. Soon, the dock became a store front and a modern legend was born. Today the 7-Eleven stores stay open 24 hours a day to serve customers looking for anything from a cup of fresh-brewed coffee to cat food and most everything in between. Noteworthy are the Big Gulp, Slurpees, refillable coffee mugs and fresh-cooked hot dogs.